


Not for Sale

by opalmatrix



Category: Saiyuki
Genre: Enemies, F/M, First Time, Gift Fic, Seduction, respect
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-03-06
Updated: 2010-03-06
Packaged: 2017-10-07 18:19:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,534
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/67870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/opalmatrix/pseuds/opalmatrix
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When a famous herbalists' market is held in the town of Anshan, the healers of the Sanzo Ikkou and the Kou-tachi find themselves alone together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Not for Sale

**Author's Note:**

> This one is for **[redbrunja](http://redbrunja.livejournal.com/)** ... Merry Christmas! And thanks to **[smillaraaq](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Smillaraaq/pseuds/Smillaraaq/)** for excellent beta. (Written December 2007)

"You gonna be OK by yourself?" asked Gojyo, seriously, as they walked toward the main road at dawn.

"I'm certain I'll be fine, Gojyo. No one will know me like this, by myself. The market will be full of wandering doctors and herbalists." Hakkai was wearing a little cap of dark blue silk, and a knee-length coat of the same over matching trousers, in place of his usual clothing. Regular spectacles with steel frames - and one lens of plain window glass - had replaced his monocle. And without Sanzo in his distinctive robes, and Gojyo with his flaming hair, he thought that no one would give him a second glance down in Anshan. He gentled the head of the little white dragon clinging to his shoulder. "Jeep, you must go with Gojyo now. I'll see you tomorrow evening."

Jeep cheeped pitifully and tried to cling to Hakkai, but he knew it was futile, and after some more caresses and fussing, he let himself be transferred to the kappa's shoulder. Gojyo handed Hakkai the satchel he'd carried down the hill for him, and then watched silently as the healer continued down the path and vanished from sight. Jeep gave a last pitiful chirrup and tucked his head under Gojyo's chin.

"Tch! That tickles," scolded the kappa, but then he rubbed the little creature's head. "Yeah, I'm worried too." With a last misgiving glance, Gojyo turned and headed back to where the others were waiting.

* * * * * * * *

Hakkai strolled into the bustling marketplace with a strange feeling of freedom and loneliness mixed. For once he was on more or less his own business, not the mundane drudgery of buying supplies for their expedition. Oh, certainly, they would all benefit from what he bought and learned here, but it was his own idea, and it had been quite a task to convince Sanzo to delay an extra couple of days so that Hakkai could do this. Anshan's autumn herbalists' market was famous for leagues around, and Hakkai had been intrigued from the moment they'd first heard of it. It was said that a person could buy anything here - anything at all.

This was a perfect day for it, too: the advent of autumn had taken away the worst of the heat, but the day was brightly sunny and the ground dry but not yet dusty. Pennants and flags snapped from the tall poles planted into the ground by each dealer's stall, and at the ends of the rows of stalls of doctors, alchemists, and herbalists were all sorts of other vendors, taking advantage of the crowd that had gathered: fruit sellers, wine shops, amulet-makers, sellers of fans, combs, and other small items, and even wild animal dealers. A smell of herbs, fruit, and meat buns drifted toward him, and he almost expected to hear Goku clamoring for one. Maybe he'd have to buy some, tomorrow morning, before he headed back to meet the others.

For a couple of hours, he drifted happily up and down the rows of stalls, talking to other healers and herb-vendors, examining the goods. He wasn't buying much at this stage, because he knew how easy it would be to spend all his cash before he'd really seen what was available. The sun was high, and he was getting a little footsore and thirsty - thinking, in fact, about lunch and a drink. He headed down to the end of the current row of stalls, where there seemed to be an alley of local shops, including one with a sign advertising noodles and soup. But there, at the last stall, a small, fine-boned woman was picking through a selection of dried roots. There was something hauntingly familiar about her. As she picked up a particularly large tuber and hefted it in her hand, checking the weight, he suddenly recalled her carrying a tray, and his eyes were caught by a plain metal bracelet on her wrist.

_That's a limiter._

Narrow-eyed, he watched her pay for her purchases and head down the aisle, the way he had intended to go anyway. He trailed behind her, following her into the alley. Fortuitously, she stopped in a deep doorway under a sign for a glass blower. The shop seemed to be closed, and she was was reading the note tacked to the door. As she turned to go, she met him face to face, and stared at him, aghast.

"Good afternoon, Yaone-san" he said.

* * * * * * * *

Yaone was disappointed that the glass blower was not open for business, but she should be able to catch him the next day, according to the note. When she turned around and found her exit from the shop's deep doorway blocked, she was ready to pass the information on to the next disappointed patron - until she recognized him.

"Hakkai-san," she said, dry mouthed. "What a coincidence."

They stared at each other for a moment, then she dropped her pack and fingered the limiter on her wrist. But to reveal herself as a youkai would only draw unwanted attention here in Anshan, and she was far from certain that she could take Hakkai in single combat anyway, with no element of surprise. "What do you want with me?" she asked, tightly.

"I might ask you the same," he answered. He was leaning casually against the side of the doorway, arms folded, his own satchel on the ground behind him. She wouldn't have recognized him easily, in that outfit, in a crowd of similarly dressed humans, many of them male.

"I didn't even know you were here!" she protested. "I was just shopping the herb market."

He frowned at her behind the spectacles. One lens was a fake - it was obvious to anyone who knew about such things. "Well, then - truly a coincidence," he said, slowly. "I thought that somehow you had found out I was here, and that any moment, you and your colleagues were going to ensure the reduction of our force by one."

It was a good idea, actually. She wondered whether she could forestall him here, and take him by surprise later. But he'd be on his guard now. "I didn't know you were here. I'm by myself - you could do exactly what you've described, and reduce _our_ force by one." She paused, suddenly puzzled. "You spotted me first - why didn't you do exactly that?"

He dropped his gaze, appearing to be suddenly intrigued by the the tiles in the entryway. "Ah. Well. Why, indeed ... it's broad daylight. It could have attracted attention. And really, I was simply curious as to what you were doing here, Yaone-san. Foolish of me." He looked up again, and he was actually a little red about the ears. It should have made him look ridiculous, but somehow it didn't. "I imagine the best thing would be to pretend we never saw each other, and go about our business. I've really been looking forward to this fair."

She couldn't help laughing - it was out and away before she could stop herself. "So have I! Oh, how strange this is." She knew she should be ashamed of herself - that her every thought should be of gaining the advantage for her Prince. But she had been waiting for this for months ... and defeating him was not that likely, now. "A truce, then? For the time the market is running?"

Hakkai stared at her intently for a moment, as though trying to read her thoughts. Finally: "Yes, I agree. A truce. It would be to neither side's advantage for the two healers to forgo the experience of this fair." The light glittered off the limiters on his ear. She wondered how he looked as a youkai: they'd never been able to determine his tribe, although they had speculated, in their planning sessions. He hoisted his satchel to his shoulder and was turning to go, when he seemed to remember something and turned back. "Have you made plans for dinner?"

"Dinner?" she repeated, incredulous. He flushed again, but stood his ground. "Yes. Dinner. Neither of us knows anyone else in this town, and we have a truce. It's pleasant to have company for dinner - isn't it? I had planned to stay at the Phoenix and Tortoise: I hear they have an excellent cook."

"They do," she answered, at last. "That's where I'm staying! And you're mad, Hakkai-san - who eats dinner with his sworn enemy?"

"But we have a truce. So for the moment, we're not enemies, are we? And I prefer not to eat alone."

He _was_ insane, but intriguingly so. He would make a pleasant view across the table, at least. And it occurred to her that it would be very enjoyable indeed to be able to talk over the day's findings with someone who could understand what she meant. "It's madness. But have it your way. An hour after sunset, then."

And with that, they parted for the afternoon.

* * * * * * * *

He was waiting for Yaone at a quiet table in an alcove. The day had been profitable: he had learned a great deal, including some fascinating Western theories about anatomy, and had obtained some very useful drugs. And the inn had had a room for him, a small one, on one of the upper floors. He had packed his purchases carefully away for his departure tomorrow, and descended to the dining room to wait. After a few minutes, he began to have serious doubts about what he was doing. Sanzo would be furious, at the very least, if he ever found out about it.

When she entered the room, he saw that she had changed into a long gown of cream-colored silk, and had flowers in her hair. She looked charming. It occurred to him that truce or no, she might have plans to his detriment, and that seduction might be the first move. But she seemed just as awkward as he was about the situation. Their conversation was painful in the extreme at first. It was not until he brought up Jeep - in the midst of a dry lecture about how animals seemed to know their best remedies among wild plants all on their own - that Yaone seemed to relax, and from there the conversation blossomed.

" ... and so I never really knew whether he understood about the eggs. But he clearly felt very strongly about the subject, so I left them alone."

She laughed, her large dark eyes warm. It was strange seeing her this way. He knew that her ears should be long, and pointed. But her eyes were the same. She didn't have the cat-like or lizard-like pupils that he had seen in Goku's other form, or in Kougaiji and his sister.

Or in himself. His true self.

"Do you find it too confining?" he asked, suddenly. He held up one wrist and encircled it with the fingers of his other hand, to show her what he meant. Her expression of dismay woke him to his indiscretion. "No, I shouldn't ask that; it's rude," he said, hastily.

She looked away from him and toyed with the last bit of meat in her bowl, pushing it around with her chopsticks. "Well, we could go elsewhere," she said, at last. "If we wish to continue to talk. It's unlikely that we would be able to speak with each other for long without bringing up some topic that others ought not overhear. I have a nice sitting area in my room."

That sounded reasonable, but - he flushed. "Surely a lady traveling alone ought not to be entertaining a gentleman in her room."

She looked at him calmly. "If he is truly a gentleman, then I have nothing to fear, do I? And I truly don't concern myself with the opinions of every innkeeper I encounter in my travels." She put down her chopsticks and signaled the waiter.

Her room was on the second floor of the inn. It was a gracious space with a brazier for warmth, scrolls and paintings on the walls, carved screens over the windows, two comfortable chairs with a low table between them, several impressive chests and cabinets, and a large silk-draped bed platform in the corner. It was quite possible that it was the finest room in the establishment. Hakkai seated himself in the chair that she indicated as she closed and bolted the door. From her bags, she extracted a small flask, and from one of the cabinets, a tray with two small porcelain cups. She unstoppered the flask and poured for them both. It smelled like plum wine, but the scent of alcohol was stronger. "Plum brandy," she said. "_Slivovitz._ From the west, near the Black Sea. The shop attendant swore it was a year on the road, and he might well be correct."

She seated herself and sipped delicately. It would be foolish to trust liquor dispensed by an enemy ... but there was her promise, and in any case, he had been foolish from the instant he'd spotted her in the market. Why should he stop now? He sampled his cup. The drink was powerful, but with a wonderful burst of true fruit flavor at its heart. He took another sip.

"And you," she said, without preamble, as though continuing the earlier conversation directly: "Do _you_ find it limiting?"

He had too much respect for her to dissemble, and in any case, he was the one who had opened the awkward topic. He fingered his earcuffs, remembering how his ears felt without them. "No," he said at last. "I'm used to it."

"But your whole existence is like this. Why do you insist on serving that human priest? Surely it would be better not to have such limitations on your true self except at need."

He drained his cup in one stinging gulp, set it down on the table, and straightened in his chair, stilling the anger he felt at the question. She did not know his history, after all. "I have good reasons for following Genjyo Sanzo. And if I were to allow my other form to emerge, I might never get myself back. As you know all too well, Yaone-san."

"But if you served Kougaiji-sama, you would not need to concern yourself about that. Neither Dokugakuji nor I have any fears on that score. Our lord treats us exceptionally well, and with a lot more courtesy than you get from Sanzo. And you _are_ youkai."

He stood at that. "I was not always as you see me, and I'm not for sale. Not at that price, or any other." He walked to the door and started to unbolt it. He heard her footsteps behind him, and was not entirely surprised to feel her hands around his arm. "What do you mean, 'I was not always as you see me?'"

He sighed. She was much like him: she did not like to lose, and she had curiosity. He turned and gently removed her hands. "I thought we had a truce, Yaone-san. Trying to subvert me is a hostile action. Either we are enemies or we are not. I have no reason to tell my private history to an enemy."

Now she was the one to blush. "I should not pry. I know that. And I am sorry - I would not leave my lord either. He saved my life. But ... you _became_ a youkai?

He nodded, watching her face. "You have heard the legend - that one who bathes in the blood of a thousand youkai becomes one himself? I slaughtered an entire tribe. Are you sure that you wish to stand so close to me?"

She froze where she stood, but then she lifted her chin and met his eyes. "We have both risked much this evening for each other's company. I see no reason to flee from you now. How did that happen?"

"You have heard the tale of Hyakugan Maoh, the Centipede King, who raped and tortured young women before killing them horribly and devouring them? My ... sister was one of his victims. I slaughtered them all, from the king himself to the smallest baby among his people, and in the end, I found that I had become what I hated. Afterward, Sanzo pled for my life before the Three Aspects, and gave me reason to continue living. And in their own way, Sha Gojyo and Son Goku have helped as well. I will not leave them, not for anything that you can offer."

* * * * * * * *

_Hyakugan Maoh_. It was strange beyond anything that she could imagine, to hear that name coming from Hakkai's mouth. His eyes were distant; he looked haunted. There was no reason to doubt his story, as fantastic as it might seem: it explained so much about him. She touched his hand, and it was like ice.

"Please ... Hakkai-san. Come back to the brazier - here - you're so cold."

He let himself be brought back to his chair, and mechanically held his cold fingers out toward the little ceramic stove. She poured him another measure of liquor and resumed her own chair. "I know the story of the Centipede King," she said, quietly. "I know it first hand. That is exactly how the Prince saved me: I was promised to Hyakugan Maoh myself. My father could not resist the order. And Kougaiji paid my ransom and took me into his service. Like you, I would not leave the one who redeemed me, not for any price. And I am sorry to have tempted - _tried_ to tempt you."

He lowered his hands to his lap and looked at her for a long time. His eyes seemed sunken and bruised. She felt like a complete beast for having made him explain himself. She reached out to touch his hand again, then wrapped both of hers around it. "Your hands are still ice-cold. Move your chair closer to the warmth."

"_Your_ hands are warm," he said, softly. "Please. Don't let go."

She stared at him, and realized that within its dark socket, his good eye, at least, had gained some warmth. It was beautiful, and she wondered, suddenly, what had happened to the other one. But she was through badgering this man for confessions. She didn't want them. Looking at him, seeing the way he was now looking at her, she wanted something else entirely. She raised one hand to his cheek, which was not as cold as his hand. "If the liquor isn't warming you, nor the brazier, perhaps we should try something else," she said, softly, and slid onto his lap.

He slid one arm around her waist and turned his face to press his lips against her palm. "I thought you were through trying to tempt me," he said, his breath warm against her skin. She slid her hand up into his clipped dark hair. "I'm not speaking of paying anyone for anything," she replied. "This will be a gift, from one who has discovered that she shares her history with you." Their lips met, and then their tongues.

He was stroking her hair, letting his fingers drift down to her neck as they kissed, then to her shoulder, and finally he ran his fingertips lightly over the silk that covered her breast. She gasped into his mouth, and suddenly the gown was an annoyance, for she wanted to wrap her legs around him. They felt warmed and restless with energy, and the source was deep in her womb. She writhed in his lap, kicked off her slippers, felt him hardening beneath her ass, and broke their kiss: "Hakkai ... ."

He looked concerned for a moment, then smiled. "Well. Bed?" he suggested, gently.

"Ah ... yes, please."

He cradled her in his arms and rose easily from the chair with her. She had never known a human being to be so strong - but then, he wasn't human, was he? He laid her gently on the bed, and sat on the edge of it beside her. She plucked at the fastenings of her gown. "Please - help get this foolish gown off me. I don't usually wear such things ... ."

He smiled and followed her direction. She reached up and worked on his long tunic at the same time, then sat up and peeled off the gown. He watched, his face warm and still and filled with anticipation. She had nothing on beneath - the silk was heavy enough that she had thought it unnecessary with such an all-enveloping garment. He reached out to touch what had been revealed - and she slapped his hand gently aside. "You, too," she ordered.

He flushed and laughed a little, then peeled off his tunic and trousers, leaving his shoes behind on the floor. He was wearing a pair of cotton short pants of some sort beneath. He was scarred in a number of places, which didn't surprise her - although the massive, jagged cicatrix across his abdomen made the healer within her intensely curious. And he was too thin, his arms and legs long and sinewy, but he had his own beauty: the shorts would have to go, because they spoiled it. She moved to fold back the overs of the bed, and got in. "The rest of it, too," she said, sternly, looking pointedly at the offending garment. He flushed even more, to her delight. It made him look warmer, and even tastier.

"May I blow out the lamps?" he asked, sounding a little desperate. She leaned back on her elbows, conscious of the fact that this made her breasts stand out. "Alright," she said, at last. "But not this one by the bed." She watched him move around the room, feeling warmer herself as she watched the play of shadows on his chest. Then, with a certain air of defiance, he turned his back to take off the shorts. "You can't escape forever, you know," she said.

"I know," he said, and turning around, he took off the glasses and struck a heroic pose. She gazed at him happily for a moment: he was definitely looking forward to this. "Mmmmm ... come here!"

But when he was under the covers with her, pressed against her, she realized that she did not want to continue the way she was. Everything was muffled, blunted. "Hakkai," she whispered. "Would it bother you if I removed my limiter?"

He propped himself up on one elbow and studied her face. "Not if if made you happier," he said, seriously. "I know that for you, that is what is normal."

She sighed and sat up. Keeping her eyes fixed on his, she wrenched the metal band from her wrist, feeling her hair grow and become thicker, her ears extend, and her nails become short claws. He watched solemnly, then reached out to trace the line of one ear to its point. "Are you going to devour me now?"

She could feel how he was still hard against her leg. A knot that she hadn't known was there unravelled suddenly in her belly. She ran the tip of one claw very gently down his chest, over his belly, and onward. "Only if that's what you want me to do."

* * * * * * * *

Hakkai opened his eyes to find late-morning daylight. She was a warm presence in the bed at his back, and it was hard to climb out of that soft cocoon.

"Must you go now?" she said, softly.

"I'm afraid so. I should bathe, and pack. There's one stall that's holding something for me, and if I don't retrieve it by noon, he'll sell it to someone else. And I need to meet the others by the second hour after, or they'll come looking for me."

"That would be very bad, I agree."

"Yes. I'm sorry."

He slipped his clothes on and knelt by the edge of the bed to put his arms around her. She kissed him lightly, but pushed him away when he tried for more: "No, you were right the first time. This dream is over, Hakkai-san. We need to awake fully, and face the new day." She sat up, holding the quilt to her chest, a contrast to the wanton of last night. "Can you pass me my gown, and my limiter?"

He found them, and turned his back courteously after he gave them to her. A moment later, she was standing beside him, fully covered and apparently human once more. However, her hair was still a careless tumble down her back. He could not help but smile faintly at that. She sighed. "This will be a hard secret to keep. Will you be able to do so?"

"I would never tell Sanzo," he said, seriously. "It would only cause unhappiness. But Gojyo is my friend. I suppose if I were very drunk ... but that doesn't happen very often."

"Is Gojyo-san very sentimental? Dokugakuji is."

Hakkai smiled. "Yes, he is. Surprisingly so. I guess it runs in the family."

She nodded and walked to the door. "That can be pleasant in a friend. Meanwhile, we have our memories to keep us warm. You should go, Hakkai-san." She shot the bolt back, harder than was necessary. "Now. Before I'm tempted to prevent you. By force."

So he left.

The day was cloudier and cooler than the previous one. The market was starting to lose its bustle. He retrieved the carefully-made measuring flasks he'd placed on hold, and then bought a packet of meat buns for Goku. He already had cigarettes and liquor for the others, and some dried shrimp for Jeep. His satchel was heavy, and when he tried slinging it over his shoulder, the strap rubbed the long scratches on his back. He hoped he'd be able to hide them until they healed; it would be a problem.

Gojyo and Jeep met him where they'd left him at dawn the day before. They both looked worried, and he felt a rush of affection at the sight of them. "Hey, you made it back!" exclaimed Gojyo. "Jeez, that bag looks heavy. Hand it over .... " Gojyo slung the bag over his own wiry shoulder, and Hakkai sighed with relief. Jeep curled around his neck and licked his ear, and he blushed before he could stop himself. But Gojyo was already leading the way up the hill to the camp site.

They stopped for a breather where a curve of the path revealed the town spread out below them. Hakkai's eyes found the market, and then the inn. He wondered if Yaone had left yet. Gojyo was lighting a cigarette. "So, didja have a good time in town? They were saying that you could buy _anything_ there .... ."

Hakkai tore his eyes away from the scene below and looked at his friend, his eyes hard and bright. "No. Not really. Not _anything_, Gojyo." He turned away and started up the path again. Jeep swung his head around to look at Gojyo, bewildered, as Hakkai carried him off.

Gojyo stared back, his cigarette forgotten for the moment. He turned to look down at the town himself, then shrugged and took a good long drag before shouldering the satchel again and setting out after the healer. "Guess he ended up at some fleatrap, didn't sleep well," he muttered. "Poor Hakkai."

He stamped on up the path, leaving the marketplace behind them.

 


End file.
